Sorting apparatus



April 30, 1935. l. w. HOOVER SORTING APPARATUS Original Filed June 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l @www l. w. HQovER soRTING APPARATUS April 30, 1935.

.Original Filed June 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ieoponc, YSHooVcf,

n.59 ayt-o1? Attoasrxg shown in Figure Patented Apr. `30, 1935 1,999,875 s on'rINor APPARATUS PATENT oFFicsf- Isaac-fw. Hoover, Avery, Ohio Qpplication vJune 25, 1931, SerialY j l V,Renewed October 13, 1934 sclaims. (01.209-7-101) This kinvention relates to sorting apparatus, more "particularly adapted for use in sorting fruits; vegetables, and the like, and an object of the invention apparatus ofthis character.

A In the drawings accompanying this specificationV 'and forming a part of this application, I have` shown for' purposes of illustration, Yone form which my invention may assume, and in these drawings:

vFigureV 1 is aside elevational view of an embodiment of the invention, Y y

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment 1, partly broken away to disclose certain of the mechanism,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is, an enlarged, broken, vertical sectionalview, corresponding substantially to line 4--4 of Figure y2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the gear construction, Figure 6 is a vertical'sectional view, correspond- A ingsubstantially to line 6- 6 of Figure 4, while Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, horizontal sectional view, corresponding substantially to line 'I-'I of Figure 6, parts Vthereofbeing broken,

away to more clearly disclose the construction.

The embodiment of the invention herein dis-l closed comprises a frame I0, having longitudinally extending frame Lmembers II verse `frame kmembers vI2, suitably gether, the transverse frame members I2.having and transupwardly offset portions I3 adapted to-serve a purpose hereinafter described, and the frame IU is supported inaninclinedposition upon legs I4,

having extensions I5 forming Vside supports to which are .attached longitudinally extending side plates I 6 and Il, each edge with a plurality of spaced fingers I8.

secured at itsends to the frame members I. I and i provided with angularly disposed arms 2D in which 'is journaled a shaft 2| carryingy a crank 22 by means of which Ythe shaft 2| may be rotated, and

Athe shaft 2| `outwardly of the armsl carries. driving pinions 23 and 24, and between the arms 2'llfcarries alsprocket-wheel 25,V over which is'` Y I0 and suitably secured to said frame.

is' to provide a new and improved secured.` to-` provided along its lower.

At one lend ofltheframe lo beyond the cuter; most transverse memberl 2is a casting I9, suitably asting 3U located atv the opposite end of the framel Rotatably journaled in bearings 3l and 32, formedlrespectively upon the castings I9 and 30, is a shaft r33,- kextending substantially Vparallel with the conveyor 26,' spaced laterally therefrom a suitable distance, and lying at a somewhat lower level than "the uppermost run of the conveyor 26, and the shaft 33 is providedQwith a gear-v wheel 34 meshing with, and adapted to be driven by the pinion 24 on the shaft 2 I. Arranged ,along the shaft133 at spaced intervals isA a plurality of spaced partitions 35, each in the form otadisk movable fwith the shaft 33, and each tapering outwardly, so that the space betweenadjacent partitions. 35v diverges outwardly from the shaftl 33. .The movable .partitions 35 are adapted to cooperate `with plates 36 and'3l, each having a plurality of fingers 38 disposed in alignment with the partitions 35, spaced from said partitions 35, and taperingA vin a direction opposite to the parti-` tions 35thereby defining spacesbetween the ngers 38 which diverge toward the partitions 35,

and the plates 36 and 3l are independently ad?Y justable, so that the sizes of the sorting openings of the groups `of openings may be independently adjusted.- i vThe shaftj33 valso carries la plurality of clearingngers! I projecting laterallyfrom .the shaft 33, .located one between each pair of'partitions` 35, and adapted toenter eachfsorting 'opening to clearV the same of'articles too large to pass therethrough 'and toirnpelv such articles toward the'conveyor`26.' f

Atl the opposite side of lthe conveyor 26 there isv provided a shaftdZ' having partitions'43, clearingngers 4 4 and a gear-wheel 45, all identically similartotheshaft 33, Apartitions A35', and clearing lingers 4i, respectively, defining openings4 5l Vand 58 similar to openings 39 and 56, and the them fartherl along.

tively, are provided for cooperation withv the shaft 42 and the elements associated therewith.

A feed hopper 46 is secured to the side members I 6 and I1 and is open at the bottom to deliver articles onto the sorting mechanism. Delivery chutes 4l and 48 are secured to the frame member l l for the purpose of directing diierent sized sorted articles into predetermined locations where they may be collected in suitableV receptacles 4S. An endvchute 50 is also provided at the discharge end of theapparatus foi` directing the larger articles into a bag or other receptacle, as indicated In operation a number of articles, such as-potatoes, or the like, of different sizes, are fed to the sorting apparatus through theV yhopper 46, and the operation of the machine commenced, or

continued, by rotation of the crank 22, resulting',

in rotation of the sha-ft 2| and of the sprocket- Wheel 25, and ofthe gears 21-3 and 24, rotation of the sprocket-wheel 25 causing longitudinal travel of theconveyor 26, and rotation of the gears 23 and 24 causing rotation ofthe shafts 33 and 42 in opposite directions outwardly away'from the conveyor 26.V Movement ofthe conveyor 26 aclvances thearticles and'by reason of its slightly elevated position with reference to the elements defining the' sorting openings 39 and 5,1, the articles will roll or slide laterally off of the conveyor andlgravitate toward the sorting openings, and

' articles of sufciently small size will pass between the fingers and partitions dening ,the openings 39 and 517, and will fall through, and into the chute 41, to be delivered to the receptacle placed there-` beneath. Larger articles presented at the sorting openings 39 and5l cannot pass therethrough, and rotation of the'shafts 33'and 42 causes the clearing` fingers 4I and 44 to traverse the sorting openings 39 and 51 and expel the larger articles toward the conveyor 26, which then advances As the articles advance through the apparatus those of somewhat larger size reaching'the sorting openings-56 and 58 will pass through-into the chute 48, and the articles which are too large to pass through any of the sortingopenings,` by reason'of movement of the conveyorl and movement of the clearing lingers,

will eventually reach the end of the apparaus andV be discharged into the chute 50 and Ainto the bag 5I. i*

The action thus describedlresults inv quicklyV and efficiently sorting thev articles,-and' adjustments of the plates' 36, 3l, 54 and '55 may be readily made to Yvary the sizes of the sorting openings. Y Due 'to the oppositely diverging defining portions of the sorting openings, as provided by the tapered.partitions and oppositely tapered cooperating fingers, the apparatus is rendered particularly eiiicient in sorting articles of irregular outline, such as potatoes, as'onlyA substantially point contact with the articles sorted is provided bythe construction described.

It will be understood by those skilled in the artthat the embodiment of the invention discloses at least the principal object thereofand the invention is adaptable to uses and has advantages other than those herein described; furthermoreit will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the apparatus may be power driven, ifv

desired, and the partitions 35 and 43under some circumstances maybe made stationaryby securing them tothe Ysidev plates I6 and l'l, and various otherchanges andmodifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention; accordingly it will be understood that the embodiment herein described is illustrative only and the invention isnot'limited thereto.

I claim: s f

l. A sorting apparatus, comprising: an upwardly inclined support along which a series of articles is adapted to move from a receiving station; a plurality of spaced partitions arranged longitudinally of said support and cooperating therewith in defining a plurality of openings of different sizes;l means for moving said lpartitions in a direction transverse to the movement of said articles along said support to'facilitate the passage of said articles through said openings; and a conveyor for moving said articles upwardly along said inclined support, the inclination of said support preventing the movement of articles upwardly therealong which are not in actual engagement with said conveyor.

2. A sortingV apparatus, comprising:V an inclined stationary support along which a series of articles is adapted to move; a plurality of spaced members arranged longitudinally of said support and cooperating therewith in deiinng a plurality of openings of different sizes; meansfor moving said members in a direction transverse.

supporting means having advancing means 'ex-- tending longitudinally along theV center ofusaid supporting means and operable'to effect advance s of articles,'entering the center of saidlsupport# ing means, from one endl of the apparatus toward the other; a rotatable shaft extendingsubstantially parallel with respect to said advancing means and spaced therefrom, and provided.

with a plurality of disk-likepartitions vproject-A ing laterally from said shaft and rotatable therewith; recess defining means arrangedA between said shaft and said advancing Ameans and c0- operating with said partitions to`deiine a pluralityof sortingrece'sses Y'at a lower. level than said Yadvancing jmeans, said sorting ,recesses` adapted to be occupied by articles rolling later`` ally Vfrom said advancing means; andvclearing` ngers mounte'dion` said shaft, extending substantially at right' angles to said shaft, and adapted'Y to traverse said sorting recesses to eject an-oversize article from each sorting recess and,v

deliver the same laterally to saidadvancing meansV for advancement toward the next sorting recess.

55 4. VA sorting apparatus, comprising: elongatedV supporting means having advancing means 'eX- trending longitudinally along the centerfof" said supporting means and operable to effect ad-` vance of articles, entering the center of saidsupporting meandri-om one end of the apparatus Atoward theother; a rotatable vshaft extending substantially parallel with respect to said advancing means and spaced therefrom, and providedwith a plurality of disk-like partitions prof' jecting Vlaterally Vfrom said shaft andI rotatable therewith; a plurality of adjustable recess de-V fining means arranged between vsaidV shaft and said advancing means and cooperating with said partitions to denne a plurality ofY groups'of dii?-y ferent size sorting recesses at a lowerlevel than said advancing means, said sorting recesses adapted to be occupied by articlesvrolling laterally from said advancing means, and said recess dening means being independently adjustl` porting means, from one end of the apparatus toward the other; a rotatable shaft extending substantially parallel with respect to said advancing means and spaced therefrom, and provided with a plurality of disk-like partitions projecting laterally from said shaft and rotatable therewith, and of uniform depth and spacing; recess defining means, normally stationary, arranged between said shaft and said advancing means and cooperating with said partitions to define a plurality of sorting recesses ata lower level than said advancing means and adapted to be occupied by articles rolling laterally from said advancing means, said recess defining means being adjustable with respect to said partitions to vary the size of said sorting recesses; and clearing fingers mounted on said shaft, extending substantially at right angles to said shaft, and adapted to traverse said sorting recesses to eject an oversize article from each recess and deliver the same laterally to said advancing means for advancement to the next sorting recess.

6. A sorting apparatus, comprising: a rotatable shaft having a plurality of disk-like partitions projecting laterally from said shaft and rotatable therewith, said partitions being spaced from each other longitudinally along said shaft, the adjacent partitions and said shaft cooperating to form recesses; a plurality of members arranged longitudinally in line with respect to each otherand laterally spaced from said shaft, said members each having a group of recesses arranged longitudinally therealong, the defining edges of said recesses cooperating with said spaced partitions to define a plurality of sorting openings, through which articles tobe sorted may pass; each of said members being independently adjustable with respect to each other and with respect tosaid cooperating spaced partitions, to thereby independently define a plurality of groups of different size sorting openings; and means for rotating said shaft to agitate the articles to be sorted, to thus effect sorting of said articles.

7. A sorting apparatus, comprising: a rotatable shaft having a plurality of disk-like partitions projecting laterally from said shaft and rotatable therewith, and spaced from each other longitudinally along said shaft, the 'adjacent partitions cooperating to formvrecesses; a plurality of members arranged longitudinally in line with respect to eachother and laterally spaced from saidshaft, 'f said members `each having a group of recesses arranged longitudinally therealong, the defining edges of said recesses cooperating with said spaced partitions to'define a ticles to be sorted may pass; each of said members being independently adjustable with respect to each other and with respect to said cooperating spaced partitions, to thereby independently define a plurality of groups of different size sorting plurality of sorting openings, through which aropenings; conveying means, superposed with respect to said members, for presenting thevarticles to be sorted to said sorting openings; and means for operating said conveying means and for rotating said shaft, to thus *effect sorting of said articles.r J

8. A sorting apparatus, comprising: Va rotatable shaft having ,a plurality of disk-like partitions projecting laterally from said shaft and rotatable therewith, said partitions being spaced from each other longitudinally along said shaft,'the adjacent partitions and said shaft cooperating to form recesses; a plurality of members arranged longitudinally inlinewith respect to each other and laterally spaced from said shaft, said membersr I each having a group of recesses arranged longitudinally therealong, thev defining edges of said recesses cooperatingr with said spaced partitionsv to define a plurality of sortingopenings, through Vwhich articles to be sorted may pass; each of said members' being independently adjustable with respect to each other and with respect to said cooperatingspaced partitions, Vto thereby independentlyA define a plurality of groups of different size sorting openings; conveyingl means,V

superposed with respect to said members, and

movable transversely with respect to said sort-` ing openings for presenting the articles to be sorted to said sorting openings; clearing fingers mounted on said shaft between saidpartitions', and adapted to traverse said sorting openings to, eject an oversize article from each sorting opening and deliver the samelaterally to said advancing means. for advancement to the next sorting opening; and'means for operatingfsaid conveying means and for rotating said shaft, to thus'effect sorting of said articles.

ISAAC W. HOOVER. 

